Hot Shots of the Week: Magnum P.I.

Magnum P.I. was one of my absolute favorite hour-long dramas on television during my Gen-X childhood, when TV and comic books were often my best friends. Magnum was—is—the coolest cat around because, A.) good writing, and B.) Tom Selleck. The actor imbued Vietnam vet and private investigator Thomas Magnum with an utterly unique charm and vulnerability that had rarely, if ever, been seen to this degree in a male television star. Magnum was funny, but also full of depth, the kind of well-rounded character that doesn’t come along often, thanks largely to Selleck’s magnetic performance over the course of eight seasons.

My mother had a massive crush on Mr. Selleck, as did approximately 75–87% of women during the 1980s. Truth be told, nearly as many men worshipped him, too. Plus, he lived in Hawaii, surrounded by majestic scenery and beautiful women. The man had game, no question.